By this Author: BellatrixWangHu

Well, I've just found this issue after constant browsing Google and Bing.com.

Before I proceed to my rants proper, lemme' share to you a particular Allkpop write-up about the 2NE1 japanese failure:

2NE1 comes up short in the Japanese market, but why?by mashimello on March 28, 2011 at 8:54 am ALLKPOP

Many Korean idols have successfully moved into the Japanese music market, and some have even dominated the Oricon Charts. However, when it comes to doing just that, it seems like 2NE1 has a long way to go.

It has come to a surprise to many that 2NE1’s recent move into the Japanese music industry has proved to be anything but successful. Although this fierce quartet is considered to be one of the best idol groups in Korea, their advancement into Japan disappointed – their album, ‘2NE1‘, which was released in Japan on March 16th, reached only #18 on the Daily Rankings; on the Weekly Rankings, it fell to #24.

Some are speculating that this disappointment may be a result from the recent earthquake in Japan, as 2NE1 was supposed to make an appearance on Asahi TV’s “Music Station” on the 11th to promote their album. However, on that same day, the earthquake hit the Tohoku province, leading 2NE1 to cancel their schedule and return home, back to Korea.

Although the tragedy may have played a role in 2NE1’s slump, it fails to wholly explain their disappointment in Japan, as B2ST sold over 10,000 copies of their newly released album on the same day. In addition, B2ST reached #2 on the Daily Charts, while Ryu Shi Won snatched #3.

As a result of 2NE1’s “failure” in the Japanese music market, the media has already started to analyze the cause of their lack of success, as well as the direction of the Hallyu wave. Although certain media outlets have labeled the ‘2NE1′ album as a failure, others have defended the girls’ album. Moreover, situations like these can have an adverse effect on the Hallyu wave.

After the success of the drama “Winter Sonata” in 2002, actors Bae Yong Joon, Ryu Shi Won, Lee Byung Hyun, and others sparked the Hallyu wave. Since their success in the Japanese market, countless other stars attempted to do the same, as they saw the Hallyu wave as a simple means of making money. As a result, the Hallyu market became deranged in concept; these days, the term ‘Hallyu star’ is used so often that it doesn’t hold the same lustre anymore.

Taking 2NE1’s recent failure into mind, the Hallyu wave should be analyzed more critically so that it may once again spread far and wide.

My take:

Well, even if Ryu Shiwon and B2ST were able to hit #2 and #3 in Oricon charts, you cannot expect 2NE1 to be on the same situation like the two artists did.

Please remember that 2NE1 made their debut around 6 days prior to earthquake. There are some speculations that, due to earthquake, YG limited the production of 2NE1 album, which could be a possiblity. Another aspect is, they debuted thru Avex. For those who aren't aware about Avex, Avex Productions does not tend to invest much on artist's debut in Japan, especially foreign artist. To succeed in market and to make Avex invest further, you have to work yer ass off to stardom. Avex's artists have gone thru that. DBSK and BoA even handed leaflets, danced and sang their asses in Supermarket stairs and streets etc...etc... If you won't do your part, you will be forgotten by the market.

2NE1 should not be heavily critized on this failure. There was a girlgroup before them who even debuted in the same company, and never made it to Oricon charts, which was CSJH the Grace. If you want to rant at 2NE1 as a mark of Hallyu wave failure, then you should have panned that to artists before them who failed to make it to Oricon Top 10 in the first place.

However, even if 2NE1 debut under Universal Music Japan, same thing might happen as well. Besides, who would be in a right mind to increase the production of album to a country struck by a disaster? Only INCONSIDERATE PEOPLE would do that. Japan has incurred a billion-dollar damage after the earthquake/tsunami, thousands of people died from the disaster, their people will need a physical/psychological/emotional and financial recovery. It's not good shoving your products/services to other peoples' throats in the light of disaster. Halting promotions would be good, and that will be considerate on your part.

If YG might have done that, that would be more understandable. Hope you also take the same cue as with mine.

If have a question to other fanclubs, especially S♥nes, Hottests etc..etc..:

What if SNSD promoted few days before the disaster? What if 2PM promoted few days before the disaster? I won't believe they will rake bajillions of won/yen on album/digital sales. If they did, someone inconsiderate must be behind this, and that person should be doomed. No exaggeration intended, but please let Japanese people have a total recovery first before they can start buying your albums. Plain and simple.

I am currently laughing at Korean media (correct me if I am wrong at this part) for heavily critizing the group and blaming the group for possible Hallyu failure. I am feeling this way NOT BECAUSE I AM A BUTTHURT BLACKJACK. Yeah, I am a 2NE1 supporter, I won't deny that. I am not hurt if they do not succeed in Japan, to think Japanese market is the 2nd biggest in the world next to US. What matters most is, they become popular thru their music, not at how delectable they are (e.g. beautiful legs) in the eyes of fans. After all, you are in a music industry, it's your responsibility to make yourself popular thru their music. Image is secondary. If you would be popular at how beautiful your body is, you should have debuted to AV industry in the first place.

AKB48 and SDN48 were, somehow, might qualify as semi-pornstars, but if they became famous, it's not because mainly on beautiful body parts.

I can't help accusing Korean media and other fans how inconsiderate they are at putting the disaster thing aside. Disaster not a valid reason? Fuck it! Kung may isang artista na kumita at the height of calamity, well, simple lang: PADDING LANG IYAN!

I just dropped by at one of SoratoKujira's article about Kpop-Jpop comparison. Below is her article:

It’s just that much catchier

Vocoder makes everyone’s voice perfect Girl group members don’t have to be virgins Girls’ Generation/2NE1/4minute Everyone is a lot more attractive The fun dancing that sticks on you CONSTANT releases Female versions of already established boy groups Drama always keeps you entertained Weekly shows like Music Bank, M! Countdown, Inkigayo Constantly debuting artists Collaborations between artists (and not just m-flo) F****** netizens TV shows Everyone is young If your just getting into Asian music, it’s not a huge step from American music Songs never drag on, their all under four minutes None of that CD+DVD, CD+2DVD, CD+Photobook special edition only songs crap You understand it more. Half of the songs are in English The only fat person is that dude from Super Junior. No such things as Sugaya Risakos Better dancing No long waits ’till things release. Everything is announced a week before it’s release date Variety shows. JYP & Teddy Awesome indie rock music mostly unheard in J-Music Fancy stage lights and such for live performances Usually new, different outfits for live performances Remixing their songs live after having promoted them for a while Everyone’s at least hit puberty Desperate fangirls who entertain you with their bloody letters Lots more interaction between fans and the artists No Oricon charts make you feel unpopular Everyone’s more open about any surgery they had(UEE and double eye-lid surgery) Makes you feel even more different It’s cheesy, but at least you have an excuse No low budget PVs Watching G-Dragon dry hump a girl on stage Watching

your K-Pop stars fall asleep on T.V.

You never feel like the artists are just lounging off all day doing nothing. They only get 3 hours of sleep! Get famous overnight with bloody fan letters! You usually feel smarter than the artists since everyone drops out of school(no Konno Asamis here!) EVERYTHING IS A FREAKIN’ HIT Artist’s profiles are perfect. Perfect age, measurements, etc… Of course you find out a few years later that it’s all a lie. Rabid fangirls and netizens keep you entertained with the idiotic things they point out It’s always interesting to see how the plagiarizing things work out Cute isn’t the standard girl group style. It’s all about SEXY If your not fond of a certain male artist, don’t worry, he’ll eventually get sent to the army TVXQ Watching Hottests waste their lives trying to get Jaebom to come back when he clearly won’t Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Ah~

Hmmm...granted that IT'S HER OPINION, but is SHE SERIOUS? Is this a satire? If she is serious about this I'll surely gonna laugh at her. I dunno if she's Jap or Korean or somewhat American or Asian-american raised in US. If she is serious about this then she might have overlooked at the some stuff about Korean music industry.

Meanwhile, a SoratoKujira commenter gave her reply:

I’ll just go according to your number. so…

1) Japanese songs have different types [I don't bother to name it out cos you wouldn't know ANYWAY]. Some are catchy while others have to be listened to a few times before you find it catchy.

5) Yeah they are attractive.. because they went for plastic surgery! Why bother seeing their lives when you can watch Barbie and Ken dancing?

6)They dance basically because they have no talent for playing instruments. Who says you can’t dance with instruments? and besides, kpop can’t even dance WHILE singing! pfft.

7) Constant releases? Japanese artists also have constant releases -.-

8) Why would you want to hear the same music, girl version? Just use Sonar or something -.-

9) Korean dramas are SO overrated. They all have the same storyline. At least JDrama doesn’t.

10) weekly shows that will make you want to sleep.

11) Japanese have constant debuting artists too. If not, they wouldn’t have indie bands. And that’s a good thing because that proves that Japanese are talented in Music. Not like Korean artists, who only have a few in their circle. It also proves that they are ORIGINAL. not like Korean artists who just copy and copy -.-

12) Collaborations between artists are found in Jpop too.

13) Why would you like fucking netizens?

14) Korean TV shows suck.

15) Japanese discourage people to drop out of school just to become an artist. If not, there wouldn’t be a need for schools.

16) If you’re trying to get away from American music, try Asian music.

17) Under 4 minutes? What’s the use? Just to hear their altered voices?

18) Special editions are better than only songs crap.

19) I’m assuming you never heard of more jpop songs before before writing this. There are a lot more with English.

20) She’s not fat. How would you like if it I said you’re a pornstar? *rolls eyes*

21) They have no talent in playing instrument or singing. duhh!

22) Japanese are more serious about how they can improve their albums/singles. Not like Koreans. Koreans just, what they say in chinese, 草草了事. Don’t understand? Go google translate. But it’s a phrase so google probably isn’t that good of a use anyway.

23) Japanese have variety shows too. You fail.

24) Japanese have JOHNNY’S ENTERTAINMENT. Which is much much better.

25) Indie bands are everywhere in Japan.

26) Who cares? What really matters is the performance, NOT THE LIGHTS. -_-

27) Japanese have different outfits too what. =_=

28) Remix sucks. No originality.

29) Pew. Old people. Like I said, not like you can have a relationship with them. You want it? Fat hope.

30) They show you their letters? Sheesh! kpop fangirls have NO PRIVACY at all.

31) Yeah they try to rape you.

32) Oricon charts is just to inform people which song is the most listened to now. Duhh.

33) Hello? Artists are human too! They need their own private space and we, jpop fangirls, respect that. We don’t have to know what our idols do to make us like them.

34) Different in what way? Humans are humans afterall.

35) Why would you like cheesy songs? -.-

36) HAHA LIKE REAL. You should’ve seen the amount of money spent on their pvs.

37) Are you sick in the mind?

38) Yeah because they have no intention of entertaining fans.

39) Korean artists get 3 hours of sleep. And use their make-up to fool you that they still look pretty and handsome. Truth is, Japanese artists sleep to maintain their complexion so they don’t have to use make-up to lie to their fans.

40) No pain, no gain. Getting famous overnight? fat hope!

41) Dropping out of school to fulfill their dreams, are not stupid. If you think you are so smart, by all means try to become like a Korean artist. NO ONE would notice you. Trust me.

42) Not in my list.

43) Face it. No one is perfect. Korean artists are humans. No human is perfect.

44) Fangirls have rights too.

45) And also see how retarded you are 8D

46) SEXY? Or are you feeling horny?

47) Getting sent to the army so you would not see your favourite artist? You have no rights to call yourself a fan.

48) TVXQ is no reason that kpop is better than jpop too. I think HSJ beat them HANDS DOWN, ANYTIME, ANYWHERE.

49) Leave it be.

50) WTF?

Apparently, I have to agree with the latter.

I do not have much knowledge about Jpop, but I have more knowledge about Japanese music mainstream and not just pop. It appears that SoratoKujira only focuses on pop music, so she thinks that Jpop is less catchier. I dunno, when I was in high school, I got to listen to Jpop thru our cable channel WINS (a Fil-Jap friendship channel) and during intermissions, they play Namie Amuro et.al. videos etc and found them catchy. Actually, way catchy than American pop. For western, I go on rock music and some britpop, but not boyband music. I've even listened to Japanese anime soundtracks as well as some Japanese rock songs. So when I came listening to Kpop and Korean music, it seems that there is less diversity in Korean music than Japanese, as well as American and Filipino music mainstream.

On the same token, I think SoraToKujira's article is more of just a satire. Lemme showcase the logic of her statements one by one:

># It’s just that much catchier => catchier TO THOSE WHO USED TO LISTEN TO KPOP AND KPOP AND KPOP, closing their minds from the music of other countries>Vocoder makes everyone’s voice perfect => Yeah, toooo purrrfect that can make anyone look liar>Girl group members don’t have to be virgins => Because they were "consumed" by PDs and EXECs prior to debut, y'know what I mean?Girls’ Generation/2NE1/4minute => I believe, more on Girls' Generation, since almost all international fans are suckers to the so-called "virginity" of Girls' Generation>Everyone is a lot more attractive => Att.rac.tive... reaching to point of NO DIVERSITY and YOU CANNOT DISTINGUISH ONE FROM ANOTHER>The fun dancing that sticks on you =>>CONSTANT releases => Constant releases that are same same....formula-driven without something fresh.>Female versions of already established boy groups =>>Drama always keeps you entertained => >Weekly shows like Music Bank, M! Countdown, Inkigayo =>>Constantly debuting artists => Seriously, Korea believes in continuous manufacturing of talent for mass consumption. They treat their artists and talent like assets that could depreciate. >Collaborations between artists (and not just m-flo) => Hmmm...shall we say PIGGYBACKING or worse, LEECHING?!??!?!?1F****** netizens => Yeah, you will love them to make 'em DIE!!!!>TV shows ==> Well, for retarded people who loves the same old formula again and again and again and again. >Everyone is young ==> The Younger you are, the cheaper and easier for you to be exploited!>If your just getting into Asian music, it’s not a huge step from American music ==> Actually, Japanese artists do not need to have their asses climb to US market ladder because their market is fucking huge enough...SECOND TO THE UNITED.STATES.OF.A.ME.RI.CA! Why expand their fucking markets if their local artists can hit multi-million in ALBUM & DIGITAL SINGLE SALES in their own land, unlike the "market climbers" out there who constantly expands their markets althoughout Asia to the point of shoving their culture down to others' throats>Songs never drag on, their all under four minutes ==> Seriously, KPOP is like ILLEGAL DRUGS--they do not have enough important substance but addicting!>None of that CD+DVD, CD+2DVD, CD+Photobook special edition only songs crap => ?????>You understand it more. Half of the songs are in English ==> KONGLISH>The only fat person is that dude from Super Junior. No such things as Sugaya Risakos ==> Double-standarding. When a guy gets fat, it's okay. It's no-no for a woman to have added layer of flesh>Better dancing ==> Synchronized dancing, to be exact, conceptualized by choreographers.No long waits ’till things release. Everything is announced a week before it’s release date ==> They need to rake more money. STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT!>Variety shows. ==> INKIGAYO. MUSIC CORE. M! COUNTDOWN, MUSIC BANK. That's it! All Singing and dancing, not everything else.>JYP & Teddy ==> The talent-manufacturers to save their souls! The "brains" who just end up monkeying around! Meanwhile, I spare Teddy 'coz he is unlike JYP. Teddy does not have the principle to whore for attention>Awesome indie rock music mostly unheard in J-Music => When we say indie, it's F.T. ISLAND or C.N.BLUE. End of Story!>Fancy stage lights and such for live performances => (?)>Usually new, different outfits for live performances => They NO LONGER TAKE A BATH; therefore, having different outfits is THEIR BEST OPTION.>Remixing their songs live after having promoted them for a while => >Everyone’s at least hit puberty => Wut?!?!? *rolleyes*>Desperate fangirls who entertain you with their bloody letters => So much that I ended up becoming a bully to them, and they cried bloody river!> Lots more interaction between fans and the artists > No Oricon charts make you feel unpopular => ...because ORICON is not AS PAID as MUSICBANK/M!C/INKI/MUSICCORE CHART> Everyone’s more open about any surgery they had(UEE and double eye-lid surgery) => > Makes you feel even more different => I almost felt ostracized by my colleagues because they could not relate to me since I like Kpop the most.> It’s cheesy, but at least you have an excuse => The GREATEST EXCUSE is CATCHINESS OF TUNE.> No low budget PVs => According to the Koreans, the "key" to "great music" is "uber-expensive" MVs. They're like, they love to brag HOW RICH THEIR INDUSTRY IS COMPARED TO JAPAN> Watching G-Dragon dry hump a girl on stage => FAP.FAP.FAP.FAP.FAP.> Watching # your K-Pop stars fall asleep on T.V. => another great tool to garner sympathy from fans!> You never feel like the artists are just lounging off all day doing nothing. They only get 3 hours of sleep! => Kpop artists will do everything to LIE to the point of making it real...in different ways possible.> Get famous overnight with bloody fan letters! => Fans want to be as famous as their idols, even if they doin' it WRONG!> You usually feel smarter than the artists since everyone drops out of school(no Konno Asamis here!) => Y'know what? Even if I ended up workin' just a mere Call Center Agent, gettin' only 5 hours of sleep each day, working mostly at nights, I still feel intelligent. Soundin' like a bully? Sowww whut? Being a Call Center Agent might be low compared to being a celeb, at least we ain't as underpaid as any Kpop idols out there. Besides, we have more opportunities for career/personal/intellectual growth compared to the Kpop youngins out there who just ended up circling themselves in entertainment industry 'coz they have nowhere to go> EVERYTHING IS A FREAKIN’ HIT = ...with the accompaniment of SME/JYPE payments to PDs!> Artist’s profiles are perfect. Perfect age, measurements, etc… Of course you find out a few years later that it’s all a lie. => Koreans are great at lying. End of Story> Rabid fangirls and netizens keep you entertained with the idiotic things they point out => bashing korean netizens has never been.this.enter.tai.ning.> It’s always interesting to see how the plagiarizing things work out => > Cute isn’t the standard girl group style. It’s all about SEXY => Yeah! SEXY. SEXUAL OBJECTIFICATION. TO BE FAMOUS IS TO ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE OBJECTIFIED, TO BE CONSUMED THE PERVY WAY.> If your not fond of a certain male artist, don’t worry, he’ll eventually get sent to the army => ?!!??!!?> TVXQ => This is only few of the legacies Koreans are PROUD OF, even if their Japan sales are quite low compared to Arashi/Kat-tun album sales.> Watching Hottests waste their lives trying to get Jaebom to come back when he clearly won’t => Seriously, I beg to disagree. You have no idea why Jaebum fans are ranting like hell. > Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Bo Peep Ah~ = > Latest Korean entertainment that time?!?!?!

While some of Sorato's statements are kinda' rubbish, I think of it like she's talking like a stereotypically KPOP fan. Not necessarily talk shit about Jpop. However, misunderstandings can't be avoided because at the onset of the article, it appeared she's betting on Kpop over Jpop.

As for Sugaya Risako, I beg to disagree. I do not know her, but I don't see her as being fat. I'd rather prefer her to have that look than looking emaciated. Again, Sorato talks like a Kpop fan/netizen who places double-standards on fatness between a man and a woman, and what's FAT in the eyes of typical Korean netizen. Shall we say/think... PARODYING A TYPICAL K-POP NETIZEN?

I am a Kpop fan too, and if I felt I misunderstood Sura to Kujira, I would end up agreeing with Awesome JFangirl. However, after weighing the logic between comments and an article, Sura To Kujira's presentation is kinda' subliminal.

I won't care if I might offend a Kpop fan thru my statements and/or interpretations. TRUTH HURTS, right? It's about BIG TIME for those fans to have some slaps of brutality for them to realize their own baloney.

PPLIC stands for Phil. Prudential Life Insurance Company. If you walk on the 5th floor of SM Megamall, they used to be known as DANVIL Plans and years prior... Family First.

23.03.2011

[Note: What I'll be posting are the articles posted about the said company written in 3 different blogs. Allow me to write my own POV later on]

from http://www.himantayon-cagayan.info/2010/10/14/beware-of-the-vulture-agents-of-pplic-philippine-prudential-life-insurance-co-inc/

UPDATE:

Here’s the ABS-CBN’s XXX episode with under cover video about the PPLIC - Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Co., Inc. Modus Operandi at the malls.

What was being told and shown on this video was perfectly the same scenario to what I have experienced with the PPLIC here in Cagayan de Oro, particularly in Limketkai Mall. So be very careful with this people.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Are you familiar of those people at the mall wearing formal wear (Long sleeves with necktie, slacks pants black shoes for men, and blouse and skirts or slacks for ladies)? They usually annoyingly approach you with a smile and jolly face asking if you already have credit cards and when you say yes, they will say they have this promo that could make you a winner of a Brand New Honda City or Cash with the amount of 888,888.00 pesos or even a 10,000 USD and a trip for two to Macau. You can avail the promo for free and they won’t even let you spend a single centavo. I have been asked for the nth time by those people everytime I went to the mall and I usually said no before they could finished their first opening lines.

This afternoon, I went to Limketkai Mall out of boredom from working online at home. So, to unwind myself I just went there to relax, unwind, eat or drink coffee or whatever, I even texted few of my friends and asked them if they are also at the mall so I can join them. While I was criss-crossing at the mall from one shop to another there’s this guy approached me and asked if I have a credit card, but since I was alone and have nothing much to do during that time, I entertained him and said yes but I am not interested. Suddenly, he held me on my arm and talk a lot and since I wasn’t doing anything or I am not really in a hurry, I tried not to be so rude so I listened and the last thing I know I am already laughing with them and I don’t know why they already have my full attention. Its sales talk I think.

So here’s what happened, they let me fill up my name, address and other information and from time to time while I am still filling-up information on the sheet, they keep on talking about those beautiful prizes, the car and how can I have them for free by just listening to them. So, in short they really convinced me to listen more. After filling-up the sheet, they invited me to go with them at their office located at the 5th Floor at the Gateway Tower of Limketkai Center where I can play a game that will surely make me a winner, drop off my raffle stub and claim my gift. They really treat you so special and very winner on your way to the location because they will fetch you from the mall to their office on a Company Van, so you would really think it is serious and wouldn’t think this is something a scam or just a small promo or something. Because while you are on board inside the van on your way to their office, they will talk a lot of how you will win the car, the sum of cash or the trip to Macau and its all for free, you just have to listen.

Now, at the reception at their office, you can really feel that you are a winner. People are cheering for you, congratulating you with a handshake every now and then – that is really convincing right? or maybe not for some. They asked for my name and checked my ATM and Credit Cards to some sort of making sure I have a credit card. They let me wait for few more seconds, called my name and let me go inside for the explanation/introduction or whatever they call it for the said promo and the company, then they promised me that it would just only take 45 minutes of my time. So, another person accommodated me with that and they are really very friendly all the time while they were talking to me. Congratulating me on my good responses with handshakes every now and then, I think I have like almost 50 handshakes on the same person during that time.

Gosh! I didn’t know about how much time I already spent during that company introduction because from introduction, they will proceed to asking about yourself, your financial status, your bank savings, your work and everything about you. The conversation seems endless. Later on they will start asking you about saving for your future, and how you will do it. Then introduce their system of savings the ENDOWMENT SAVINGS and all. So, the winning of the promo has been out of the picture and the focus now is on how you will commit to do savings with them. By the way I am talking about PPLIC – Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Co., Inc.

Well, I already have my own savings at my trustee bank, so I am not convinced to transfer my savings to their system, In the middle of the conversation I already decided not to commit with them even though they didn’t asked me yet. But I am not a fool they think I am, so I just keep on listening and just playing with them. They’ve been promising me that if I have my savings with them, I can also benefit with their insurance products. I know, it is an Insurance company but why would they just introduce me with their money savings system and not the selling of their insurance products? With that I already know how to play the game, I started to answer sarcastically and was already decided not to entertain whatever promises they will throw at me so they couldn’t convinced me more.

I tried to be respectful to say no to them, but they just keep on convincing you to say yes, I keep on telling them no, that I will not decide abruptly with what they offer to me now. I told them that I want to think about it first before I decide. But then they told me that it was just a one time offer and I cannot avail it on another time, so they really need me to decide yes right away. I just said it’s ok, since I already have my savings at the bank. But then they keep on asking me how about the student option and other whatever options, I still said no, because for me it’s not something I need to decide right away. Then they started telling me about faith, that I was there because God has planned it to happen and things like that. I was thinking that time that these people are so pathetic that they will do anything just to sell insurance to me. They will SCAM people to buy insurance on their company. They really are SCAMMERS!

Later on, since they cannot convince me anymore, they tried to play mind game on me. They already have some information about me, so they dig some issues about me, they also commented on my financial status. Gosh, I have been laughing inside how pathetic they are that they come to this option by trying to destroy me so I can say yes to them. But fuck them! I still say no, no and no. Four people came to me trying to convince me but it is still a failure for them. Another one even asked me to just spread about them in a positive way, and I told her “yes, I will spread this experience since I am a blogger, I can blog about this”. Suddenly she stopped for awhile and murmuring about blogging and I am just nodding even if I can’t pick up what she was murmuring about blogging. I know she was already threatened by that.

I was waiting for them to let me go. I wanted them to let me exit their own way, like telling me “Sir, thank you for your time and Blah! Blah! Blah!” but that’s not what happened, they said that I still have to wait because they have this exit process. So I waited for another minutes. The person who interviewed me went to another table and talk with her team leader or whoever that was and another person approached me to just talk more about what I was told about by the first person but I just told him “yeah, I already heard those from the girl.” But I saw that there’s nothing happened and that some people they brought in late than me are already gone, I stood up and told them that I really have to go, and then again they insisted that I should go back and sit for more minutes because they really have the process for exiting. Pissed off, I took my camera and started taking pictures at their office and the people around. Then they panicked and asked me to stop because it’s not permitted to take pictures inside. And I yelled at them, “So, what!!? You don’t want me to go, so I will just take some photos of you and your office and I will post this on the internet!” Then walked straight to the exit and they even asked me to delete those photos. Of course I didn’t erase them and didn’t let them have my camera for them to delete it. They followed me inside the elevator and tried to give me a gift or giveaways but I didn’t accept it, she insisted that I should have it. So, I took it and just put it on the floor and left the elevator. I even told them you better look for another job because that is not a right job, SCAMMERS!

So, beware dear readers… these people are deceitful and promised prizes that you will surely cannot win because their very reason was just to sell insurances to you in shameless way.

Remember the company is PPLIC – Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Co., Inc. Take note of that. I am not against insurance companies but the way this PPLIC sell their insurance products are like predators. They will trap you in whatever way they can just to let you buy insurance to them.

Please pass this to your friends and friend’s friend so they won’t fall prey on these shameless scammer vultures!

You can also check some of these blogs who also rants about their experience with the vulture agents of PPLIC – Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Co., Inc.:prudential-life-selling-insurancesec-revokes-license-to-sell-pre-need-plans-prudential-life-philippinesPrudential_Life_Insurance_Scamwww.pinoyservant.comprudential-life-scamPhilippine Prudential Life Scammers!!!PPLIC Goes To A New LowREAD MORE COMMENTS on this Facebook Page: Vulture Agents of PPLICHere are the photos: (sorry medyo blurry kay ga kurog na ko sa kaulit ana)

A rant I once wrote about the Philippine Prudential Life Insurance Corporation (PPLIC) was all directed at how unscrupulous their agents have been in selling insurance. Not only have they become aggressive, they’ve become deceitful. The purpose of this rant is for PPLIC people to please police their agents and stick to “white hat” tactics. There is no debate about life insurance being an important thing to have. I personally believe in investing in life insurance. My whole family is insured under Philam and despite their problems with the AIG fiasco, I sleep soundly at night knowing that Philam Life will take care of my family in case I die before my time. I’m sure PPLIC aims to do the same for their customers, but your methods of selling it is really despicable. And when someone like me rants about it in my blog, these are the kind of comments that I get from YOUR PEOPLE.

PPLIC1

PPLIC2

All from the same IP address sent on August 6, between 10:19 am to 11:15 am.

This says a lot about how things work in your organization. It is reflective of what your vision and mission is based on. If you at PPLIC just wanted to silence me, all you could have done was write me an apology email saying you promise to mend your ways and I could have posted it here for you. A simple email that explained why your agents have become deceitful and have promised prizes and all just to compel them to buy insurance.

There is such a thing as soft sell and that is usually more effective than what PPLIC agents are doing now. You might want to look in on that. Because of the subtlety of soft sell, my whole family got ALL their insurance needs from Philam Life. And we were spending load to call the agent. Their insurance plans sell themselves, as it is also with other reputable insurance companies like Sunlife, Insular Life, Ayala Life, etc.

To PPLIC people, DON’T WASTE YOUR TIME SPAMMING MY INBOX! You have a lot of brainstorming and LEGITIMATE SELLING to do.

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) chair Fe Barin told the senate hearing Monday that it had prohibited Prudentialife Plans Inc. from selling new pre-need plans since April 16 for failing to comply with the Commission’s trust fund and capital requirements.

The company, however, said they would continue to service and honor their obligations to current clients. “..we will continue to operate as a servicing pre-need company and pay plan benefits of our planholders as warranted,” said Prudential Life Plans president Jose Alberto Alba.

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For the above-mentioned sites, thank you for those articles.

As for my POV, lemme' analyze these articles and I will write my novel-long POV later.

What does it take to be a pop star in Korea? Looks, an appealing personality, and according to Taiwanese singer Estrella Lin, the willingness to be pimped out by your agency.

Estrella Lin, former member of girl group 3EP Beauties, asserts that her agency attempted to barter her body to business investors while she was aiming to develop her career in Korea. The attempt was not successful, and now Lin has returned home and published a book revealing the corrupt nature of the Korean entertainment business, reports Taiwanese media.

According to Lin, actors, actresses, and singers are encouraged to sell their bodies, or are sometimes even forced, in order to obtain opportunities in Korea. The expectation is an unwritten rule in the entertainment industry of the country, said Lin.

The situation is not unheard of in Korea. Just in recent memory, actress Jang JaYeon of Boys Over Flowers fame, committed suicide in 2009 due to her coerced involvement in “casting couch” favors. Following the scandal (which was ruled inconclusive due to lack of substantial evidence), a survey of entertainers was conducted – it found that one out of five actresses were forced to provide sexual services to influential figures, or had witnessed their colleagues being compelled. Out of 2,000 entertainers who were asked to participate, only 183 responded. Of the 183, however, 19.1% admitted to personally participating in or knowing of someone who took part in the “couch casting” calls. Shockingly, 62.3 percent revealed that they would face disadvantages if they refused.

And Estrella? “I was pressured to ‘sexually’ entertain investors, but I never allowed myself to do so. I’m not afraid of Koreans protesting because what I said is true.” Lin was also told to change her date of birth from 1980 to 1985, as she was considered “too old” for the industry.

Details regarding Lin’s management company have not yet been revealed.

Sources: Korean Herald, Chosun Ilbo, Korea Times

My take: Seriously, is there something new about this?

Two years ago, South Korean Casting Couch system was unravelled thru the Jang Ja-yeon suicide saga. You all know who Jang Ja-yeon is, that she used to star in 2008 K-drama Boys Over Flowers, and how she suffered in the hands of her manager thru physicall/verbally abusing her when she refuses to provide sexual services to the honchos of Korean entertainment industry.

During a Taiwanese talk show, a picture of SNSD was shown, to which Kpop netizens----particularly Sones----flinched.

I dunno who Estrella Lin is, but bashing her as be fugly and a whore is just plain nonsense.

I know, she just landed in a small entertainment company, but this should not make us assume that all small-time companies always do like this. While I hate generalizing all Korean entertainment companies, even big-time companies also do the same shady thing like the small ones did. After all, where did these big companies started? From being small, ayt?

I understand that Casting Couch system also happens WORLDWIDE and I accept that, but what are y'all trying to imply as you mention this same statement? Entertainment industry is fucking dirty, granted, but what's frustrating is, in a conservative country like South Korea, bullshit things like Casting Couch even occured to think that Korean entertainment industry is trying to project themselves to the world how "clean" and "wholesome" their entertainment industry is. Not just industry, but actors and actresses, even singers, who happened to be acting cute and innocent, ending up prostituted themselves for popularity.

Also, the notion "Casting Couch system also happens WORLDWIDE, especially US" like what some Allkpop commenters are saying is like dissmissing the horrible truth happening in Korean entertainment industry, shrugging 'emselves off on that issue, and just a failed attempt to defend that K-pop industry is clean. Denial much? Probably yes. Yes, there are entertainment companies who do not have to resort to this shit, but does not mean big entertainment companies never did that to their own talents. Lately, I have read a certain article about Yoo In-na sexually harrassed by her former talent agency CEO, and she revealed that the CEO happened to be the famous singer. She first experienced harassment at the time she was 17, and was about to debut in a girlgroup.

You might sue me for a libel, but I guess the CEO she was referring to has a 3-letter name (an acronym to be exact) and lookin' like a certain animal specie. No need to name him, but the clue I gave is.just.obvious. If you are going to analyze his personality, you already know he does not live cleanly. If he is living clean, he won't be going thru a divorce with his wife [Side Note: the common-ness of divorce in South Korea is not an excuse for you to divorce your spouse], and he could have kids with the said wife as well. But no. He imposed a slavery contract towards his protegees, he made his protegees work non-stop with less sleep, almost depriving them of continuing their studies, he made his famous girlgroup to live isolatedly in the United States, he does not provide health insurance to his subordinates, and has to sell the CD of his famous girlgroup for a dollar at clothing stores in the US to be in Billboard top 100. Don't forget at how he fell into a huge debt.

Because of these lunacies, it's also possible that he could also molest a female underage talent. Although his might be just a performance, but look at his concepts during his stage performances, nothing new. All sexual.

Another thing, he is also famous singer of his time.

Well, this is just my assumption.

It could have happened to my idol and your idol.

BTW... after reading the comments related to Yoo In-na, it was assumed that the molester happened to be Lee SangMin, leader of the famous group in the 90s Roo'Ra, who created girlgroup Chakra, whose members included Hwangbo and Jung RyeoWon. The said members also happened to share the same birthyear as In-na did.

Then again, this is just an assumption.

It's even laughable when Sones ranted at Ms. Lin as being an ugly whore, and that their angels are pure and innocent. As usual. Is there anything to expect from that fangroup? SNSD may not need to resort to that stage; however, are they being objectified as well by the ahjussis as well? While they flaunt how pure and innocent they are, they are kinda' obliged to sell sex. That could be a casting couch the indirect way. There will be no perverted comic strips drawn upon SNSD if they are not hideously marketed. Wondergirls are sexy, but why ahjussis never created sexual comic strip to them, same thing with After School (who are far more aggressively sexy).

Casting Couch could happen to your idol. Even mine. You don't need to be angry at your idol. Just the fucked-up entertainment industry.

Quite frankly, I do not have any particular reasons for creating a blog. After discovering Call Center Confidential blog, I started to feel curious as to starting a blog at Travellerspoint.com. We are able to access the said website above, and probably, this is the blog where I can write about stuff during my breaktime at our company without the need on going online at any computer rentals. Sayang ang pera. Sayang ang oras.

So far, this will be my "perfect home" to write things about everything, as usual: from Philippine daily issues, Call Center, as well as my fave target Korean Entertainment Industry. Also, as for the change, I will also start to write things that are not centered within these three topics, like American entertainment industry (as long as it catches my interest, though American entertainment is not as interesting as Asian entertainment). Perfect home because I can write during work hours---break times, so to speak. I could not access Multiply, Wordpress, Blogger and even Tumblr thru our company internet.

Welcome to my new found home. If you have something to agree or disagree with, feel free to reply...except suppressing me from having the freedom to express myself. Nobody has the right to suppress everyone. Freedom of Speech is not absolute, but you all know that more and more people are dying from suppression of speech freedom.